Monday May 26
- US Memorial Day holiday 🇺🇸
- 🏃🏻 10k run
- cross compile native IDA plugin on Linux via
zig cc - read and recommend:
- Design Docs at Google: reasonably short read on Google design docs that matches my experience about how they should be used
- Space-efficient indexing for immutable log data: nice notes on designing a file format for indexing
Tuesday May 27
- 🚵🏻 10k easy mtb
- 3 𝗑 1:1 with Google colleagues to say goodbye
- start this Snippets effort
- symlink my Hugo
postsdirectory into my Obsidian vault for WYSIWYG editing
- symlink my Hugo
- read and recommend:
- https://livestore.dev: next incarnation of Riffle: “Reactive Relational State for Local-First Applications”
Wednesday May 28
- Last day at Google. Some closing thoughts:
- I loved my chromebook, particularly with the Linux VM
- I most regret missing individual Google orientation, having been acquired and surrounded by colleagues and their culture
- I don’t think I like the search-first document organization style, but maybe this will be fine with AI
- the web alternate reality of linked Google Docs is a mess
- would prefer a little more social graph to track what people are working on
- will miss Balance Hints that suggest the ways each person like to communicate (“I prefer email after work hours”, and “Please include an agenda with each meeting request”)
- but a shared Google Doc is a crucial resource. live editing (no friction, living document, replaced wikis), comments, suggesting changes.
- Pack for Prague
Thursday May 29
- visit Prague. Some thoughts:
- no tour busses. lots of scooter groups.
- clean. cobblestones. brutal architecture.
- lots of small, diverse food options. vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free signs. surprising number of vietnamese places.
- as a slavic language, Czech is completely unfamiliar. but many people seem to speak english.
- in the EU, but not on the euro. everywhere takes cards and Apple Pay.
Friday May 30
- Sent goodbye email:
Hey all,
This is my final week at Mandiant, and it’s so bittersweet to be moving on. Just like I’ve been part of FLARE’s identity, FLARE has long been a part of my identity. Not sure this is healthy, but it’s true!
Reflecting on the past 15 years, I keep feeling that I’ve won the lottery a dozen times over, given all the experiences, support, and success. I am very thankful.
Personally, it’s so tempting to attribute any achievements to my conscious decisions, personality, or effort. But like a lottery, the biggest factor is certainly just great luck. So with that caveat, I’d share some unsolicited advice: that we should believe in ourselves and take initiative – no, no, not like a Disney movie, but actually yeah ok maybe like that. Each of you is an expert in your field, so trust yourself when you have a great idea. Don’t settle with the first one (or three 😬) reasons to not do something awesome; go make it happen!
Anyways, don’t hesitate to keep in touch, each of you!
Signal: …, email: …, and
williballenthinwherever you get your social media.~Willi